Clamp for body jack



Jan. 2, 1962 J. E. BROWN 3,015,353

CLAMP FOR BODY JACK Filed Nov. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

James E. Brown 1N VEN TOR.

1962 J. E. BROWN 3,015,353

CLAMP FOR BODY JACK Filed Nov. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jdmes E. Brown I INVENTOR.

Mm BY vw mw atent Fatented Jan. 2., 1%52 This invention relates to motor vehicle repair tools and more particularly to a set of clamps for a body jack.

An object of the invention is to provide a clamp for a body jack in order to facilitate the repair of motor vehicle bodies that is, simplify body and fender work.

An object of the invention is to provide a self-leveling clamp which tenaciously attaches to a part of a motor Vehicle body, for instance the door, wheel well shield and many others as will occur to those skilled in the repair of motor vehicles, without slipping or pulling. Further, the body jack clamp of this invention enables the body jack to be attached at any angle on the panel that is to be straightened.

One of the important features of the invention is found in the construction of the clamp enabling a part of the force exerted by the body jack to be used for holding the clamp firmly attached to the panel that is being straightened.

There are several manufacturers makes of body jacks that are commercially available at the present time. Accordingly, some of the fittings that are associated with the clamps are varied slightly in order to have the clamps smoothly and rapidly attachable to difierent coirmercially available body jacks. The clamping action, though, in each instance is identical.

Other objects and features of importance will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated forms of the invention.

in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View of a door having a body jack and clamps in accordance with this invention applied thereto.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FlGUlhE 4 is a side elevational view or" a body jack showing a different application and use.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing a modification of the clamp.

FEGURE 6 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view showing a modified fitting.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the fitting in FIGURE 7.

In the accompanying drawings two of the numerous applications of the invention are illustrated. Accordingly, door 10 and shield 12 diagrammatically representa selection of body parts and panels which may be straightened with a body jack and pair of clamps such as disclosed herein. Referring first to FIGURES l3, body jack 14 is intended to be purely conventional in its internal construction, operation and over-all make-up. It has two bars 16 and 18 protruding from opposite ends thereof and is adapted to be operated in the manufacturers suggested manner. The invention provides clamps 2G and 2-2 at the ends of bars 16 and 18, and each of these clamps is identical. lamp 20 is shown in detail in FIGURES 2 and 3. It is made of a fitting 24 having a pair of cars 25 and 2S welded or otherwise rigidly secured thereto. The ears are parallel and have alined openings through which pivot bolt 3t, is passed. The body of the fitting is constructed of a stud 34 adapted to fit into the hollow bar 18. Shoulder 36 separates stud 34 from the remainder of the body and constitutes a land again which the outer extremity of hollow bar l8 seats. There is a bore i the opposite end of the body and having a longitudinal axis which is in alinement with the longitudinal axis of the stud34. Elie bore 38 is adapted to receive another bar.

The clamping action. is obtained between jaws 4% 42, lav 4i? is made of a plate 44 having serrations 4%, teeth or other markings or scorings thereon to enhance the frictional gripping action between jaw all and in this instance, door 16. Flange 48 is at one end of plate 44 and constitutes a stop should it come in contact with plate Sil Plate S 9 has a flange 52 at right angles to plate 5t} and has an outer surface adapted to contact a part of door ill (FIGURE 3) thereby for-hing the other jaw 42.

Bolt '54 is passed through a pair of alined openings in plates 44 and 51'), one of the openings '56 being enlarged to enable plate 5% to swivel or tilt slightly on the :bolt. The bolt has a head at one end and a nut 58 at the other end in contact with plate 5t Flange 48 is spaced, as shown in FIGURE 3, from plate 59 a distance greater than the spacing between the jaws 42 and 49 to enable the plate St to be tilted against 43 whereby the jaws 42- 0 are spread for easy insertion of the door flange. The pivot 39 is passed through a bracket 62 that is tired to plate thereby pivotally associating the fitting 2a with the jaw 59. As shown in FZGURE '5, the nut and bolt 54-58 are shown in a loosened position to permit the flange on door 10 to be easily slipped between plates 44 and 59*. Before the jack is applied, nut 58 is tightened whereby the flange on it) is gripped between the plates, and plate 58 pivots about point 42 until it abuts flange 48. Generally, it is necessary to tighten nut 53 by hand only. Accordingly,

' if thrust is applied by jack 14, it will tend to slightly turn jaw 49 clockwise since it is pivoted by pivot 36 to the fitting. This pivotal or rocking movement of jaw 48 clinches the serrated surface 46 on the door it) as the teeth 46, especially on the right side of 44 as seen in FIGURE 3, dig into the surface of 40.

In FIGURE 4 there is a conventional body jack 7% provided with bars 72 and 74. Clamps 76 and 78 are identical in construction and are secured to the outer ends of the'bars 72 and 74. Clamp is shown in detail in FIC- URES 5 and 6. It is made of a fitting 7 3 connected with jaws 4t and .2. The only dilference, aside from the use on shield 12, between the clamp in FEGURE 5 and the clamp in FIGURE 3 is in fitting 7 It is made of a collar 3% having a bore completely through it. :A pair of alined holes 82 and 84 are in collar 89 to accommodate pin 86. The pin is passed through these alined holes and alined openings 88 in bar 74 thereby operatively connecting the clamp 7-6 with the bar 74. Collar 89 is attached to plate 44 by means of an assembly of ears and pivot pin 36 just as the embodiment in FIGURE 3.

In use with a fender shield, a small bracket 92 is soldered or otherwise secured to the shield 12 thereby providing a member on which jaws 4t) and 42 may gri After the repair is completed, bracket 92 is removed.

In this embodiment of the invention the pin 86 is used showing another possible manner of attaching the body jack bars to the clamps. In order to prevent inadvertent loss of the pin 86, a chain $5 is attached at one end to the pin and is attached at the other end to collar 89.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 7 and 8. The clamp 96 is the same in all respects to clamps 2t} and 76 with the exception of fitting ES. The fitting is made of an internally threaded sleeve 1% connected by a set of ears and pivot pin 39 to the jaw plate (not shown) identical to jaw plate 44. Bar 192 is threaded into the threaded bore of sleeve 10! this being another possible manner of connection between the jack bars and the clamp.

The use and operation of the embodiment of the invention in FIGURES 4 and 7 insofar as the clamping action and gripping and self-alining are concerned, are the same as described in connection with the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. I

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use with a body jack that has at least one axially movable bar, a clamp adapted to engage a part of the motor vehicle body which is to be straightened, said clamp tightened on the body in response to axial movement in one direction of said bar and having a fitting adapted to connect with said bar, a pair of jaws, one of said jaws constructed of a plate having a serrated gripping surface, means pivotally securing said plate to said fitting, the other of said jaws constructed of a plate having a jaw surface opposing the serrated jaw, and means connecting said plates.

2. For use with a body jack that has at least one axially movable bar, a clamp adapted to engage a part of the motor vehicle body which is to be straightened, said clamp tightened on the body in response to axial movement in one direction of said bar and having a fitting adapted to connect with said bar, a pair of jaws, one of said jaws constructed of a plate having a serrated gripping surface, means pivotally securing said plate to said fitting, the other of said jaws constructed of a plate havin a jaw surface opposing the serrated jaw, and means connecting said plates, said plate connecting means including a bolt attached to one of said plates and loosely connected with the other of said plates.

3. For use with a body jack that has at least one axially movable bar, a clamp adapted to engage a part of the motor vehicle body which is to be straightened, said clamp tightened on the body in response to axial movement in one direction of said bar and having a fitting adapted to connect with said bar, a pair of jaws, one of said jaws constructed of a plate having a serrated gripping surface,

means pivotally securing said plate to said fitting, the

other of said jaws constructed of a plate having a jaw surface opposing the serrated jaw, and means connecting said plates, said plate connecting means including a bolt attached to one of said plates and loosely connected with the other of said plates, a stop attached to one of said plates and adapted to contact the other of said plates, said stop being spaced from said other of said plates a distance greater than the normal spacing between said jaws so that upon application of force by the body jack, said one of said plates is rocked slightly to enhance the gripping action of the serrated surface against the part of the body that is being straightened.

- 4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said means pivotally connecting said fitting and one of said plates including ears attached to said fitting and said one of said plates, and a pivot bolt connected with said ears and having a longitudinal axis approximately transversely arranged with respect to the longitudinal axis of said bar. 7 5. An adapter clamp for a conventional body jack comprising a fitting, a pair of jaws, said jaws including jaw plates, means loosely connecting said jaw plates with the jaws confronting and spaced from each other, one of said jaw plates having an ear attached thereto, 'rneans pivotally connecting said ear to said fitting.

6. An adapter clamp for a conventional body jack com- I prising a fitting, a pair of jaws, said jaws including jaw plates, means loosely connecting said jaw plates with the jaws confronting and spaced from each other, one of said jaw plates having an ear attached thereto, means pivotally connecting said ear to said fitting, a stop connected between said jaw plates and located on the side of said jaw plates, pivotal connecting means opposite to said jaws.

7. An adapter clamp for a conventional body jack comprising a fitting, a pair of jaws, said jaws including jaw plates, means loosely connecting said jaw plates with the jaws confronting and spaced from each other, one of said jaw plates having an ear attached thereto, means pivotally connecting said ear to said fitting, a stop connected between said jaw plates and located on the side of said jaw plates, pivotal connecting means opposite to said jaws, the spacing between said step and one of the jaw plates being in excess of the spacing between said jaws.

8. A jack comprising a bar, a clamp adapted to grip a piece of material to be straightened, said clamp comprising two gripping members, one of which is connected to the bar by a means permitting it to tilt relative to said bar and the other is connected to said one member by means permitting relative movement between the two members, said one member having a friction surface for gripping the material and said clamp being automatically tilted and tightened on the material in response to its axial movement by the bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,620,011 Zinke Dec. 2, 1952 2,845,983 Hanson Aug. 5, 1958 2,358,872 Hougen Nov. 4, 1958, 

